Article written by Andrew Sheves
(Inserted into The Yacht Report Magazine Issue October 69 2005)

An Ounce of Prevention - Improving your security, increasing your peace of mind

Introduction

'Security is everyone's business' is a common cry in the current environment and, more and more, individuals and the private sector are being asked to consider the security implications of what they see or do. Previously obscure disciplines within security and risk management are now commonplace topics for discussions from the morning news to dinner parties. The media and the security industry must take a fair degree of responsibility for this as the press is swamped with experts offering poorly considered or inaccurate theories for events and broad speculation. Whilst the increase in certain types of threat - predominantly transnational terrorism - cannot be refuted, there has been a tendency to talk up the risks we currently face. I would like to offer an objective view of what skippers and operators should consider when planning voyages to ensure that the security risks can be considered along with all the other factors that contribute to a successful voyage. This article will concentrate on 4 P's: planning, prevention, proportionality and pragmatism. Not only will this approach ensure that security concerns can be diminished, but the additional peace of mind will enhance the enjoyment of the passage both for passengers and crew.

Firstly, it is important to acknowledge that a threat does exist, and the yachting community has some particular challenges worth considering. To dismiss the threat from criminals, pirates or even terrorists is nothing short of negligent, nevertheless, it is also worth putting the threat into perspective. Piracy trends in 2004 showed fewer attacks than the preceding year, although attacks did appear to be more violent with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reporting 30 seamen killed and 87 wounded during attacks on commercial shipping. Statistics for yachts indicate a handful of attacks in 2005, but, although reports are sparse, the number of attacks against yachts in preceding years appears to be similarly low. A great deal has been made of the sea-borne threat from terrorists although, whilst it is likely that some groups operating as pirates will have links to terrorist organizations, the reality is that there is little evidence of maritime terrorist activity. The attacks on the MV Limburg, USS Cole and more recently the USS Ashland were all essentially shore-based attacks leaving the hijacking of the Achille Lauro in 1985 as one of the few purely maritime terrorist events. Compared to attacks on aviation or ground targets, maritime terrorism is a very infrequent event. This is not to dismiss the impact of these events, but rather to put things into perspective.

By investigating reports in more detail two things emerge: commercial shipping attacks are most prevalent in the Straits of Malacca, off Nigeria and in Indonesian waters, whilst yachts are particularly at risk off Yemen, Somalia and Latin America, especially Venezuela. We can draw a number of conclusions from this (apart from suggesting that Nigeria is not a popular cruising ground for yachts), but the main point is that the trends clearly differ between commercial shipping and yachts. Whilst this reflects the different patterns of activity between the two types of vessels, it also shows that relying on information and warnings for commercial fleets may be of little relevance to yacht skippers. It also indicates that the frequency of attacks involving yachts is low and fairly concentrated in certain regions. Viewed in this way, it becomes clear that yachts face a different threat than commercial shipping – both in the frequency of attacks and in the likely locations. This does represent a difference in routes and the fewer number of cruising yachts as opposed to commercial hulls but also suggests that yachts should look at the threats as pertain to them and not always rely on guidance proved for commercial vessels.

Considering the threat in this manner neatly brings us to the first P – planning. Obviously no trip is undertaken without significant planning effort, especially in a community where enjoyment and service are key, where no detail should be overlooked. Security should be no different and the earlier in the process security factors can be incorporated, the better. The voyage should be considered in light of where higher levels of pirate activity are encountered, as relating to yachts specifically if such information is available, and ports should be looked at to determine the level of onshore criminal activity. The protection of the passengers and crew should always be paramount, and the value of those onboard should be considered, whether high profile or of high worth, as this will draw attention – possibly unwarranted. Based on the level and type of threat anticipated, appropriate measures can be established and put in place. Security precautions do not have to be obtrusive, nor should they interfere with the smooth running of the vessel, but the inclusion of simple measures, such as placing additional hands on the deck watch, reducing external or hull lighting in dangerous areas and avoiding coastal waters, will all pay dividends in preventing attacks.

We then move on to the second P: prevention. The adage, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ is never truer than when considering security and risk management, and the objective should always be to avoid an incident rather than to hope to manage a successful conclusion. Anyone who has experienced a medical emergency or mechanical failure whilst in transit will appreciate that help may be a long way away and self-reliance and pre-planning will count for a great deal. Of course the ideal is not to have the emergency in the first place. Avoiding areas of particular danger, ensuring the trip itinerary is not widely circulated, certainly not beyond those who have a need to know such information, and maintaining a relatively low profile whilst on shore, will all assist in avoiding trouble. Difficult though it may be at times, one of the most important lessons is to learn when to run back or change course – no master would be chastised for avoiding severe weather so why should avoiding a potential attack be any different?

Finally, proportionality and pragmatism which go hand in hand. Yachts of any type, and luxury yachts especially, should not resemble warships, and security is only one factor to be considered among many others. The purpose of the voyage has to be enjoyment, but the main consideration should always be safety and security of the passengers and crew. These are not mutually exclusive, and an appropriate level of security with measures firmly based in reality will ensure that the voyage can be undertaken safely, trouble avoided and, if something were to happen, the appropriate measures will be in place to deal with events. Proportionality also forces us to accept that one size does not fit all and measures should be scaled or graded to meet changing circumstances. Similar to the different measures suggested within the ISPS Code, yachts should have a series of measures, planned, trained and drilled, to meet both different threat types and threat levels. In this way, security precautions can be scaled up and down as appropriate to maintain the correct posture.

The purpose of this article was to shed some light on what is not only a hot topic, but also one that is often misrepresented. The ‘circular reporting’ within the media of the same story, magnifying or exaggerating a single event, is very apparent in recent reports concerning maritime security. Coupled with some security firms’ over-emphasis of the threat (neatly coupled with their offers to assist) it is easy to form an impression of a rapidly deteriorating maritime security situation. I would suggest that the situation, whilst not as benign as one might hope, is not as dire as has been presented. Nevertheless, threats are present both at sea and onshore. Incorporating the basic principles outlined herein – planning, prevention, proportionality and pragmatism – will ensure that many potential events are avoided in the first instance, whilst anything which does occur will have measures in place to help deal with the situation. Ensuring that these security precautions are proportional will ensure the correct measures are employed at the right times and a commonsense, pragmatic approach will keep things in perspective. All in all this should result in one final ‘p’: peace of mind resulting in a successful, and enjoyable, voyage for both the crew and passengers.